Foot-propelled boat



July 5 1927.

v C. GARRO FOOT PROPELLED BOAT Filed Aug. 5, i925 'JJ144Z 7.14

INVENTOR. far/ e10 Gar/'0 B 6 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 5, 1927.

tlhllTED STATES CARMELO GARRO, OF NEW BRITATN, CONNECTICUT.

FOOT-PBOPELLED Boar.

Application filed August 3, 1925. Serial No. 47,726.

This invention relates generally to boats, the invention having more particular reference to a novel type of foot propelled boat and especially to that class of boats used at amusement parks and places of recreation. .The invention has for an object the provision of an improved type of footpropelled boat, having such features that will make the device easily and readily propelled and steered, and so designed that the operator may at all times see where he is going the construction being such that it will be less liable to capsize and safer in case of collision.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawing is aplan view of my improved foot propelled boat.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device. 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the bow or front of my device showing particularly the stabilizer and collision device or bumper.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the, operating mechanism of said stabilizer and collision device or bumper.

As here embodied my improved foot propelled boat comprises a hull having seats 11, 12, and 13, or any other suitable seating arrangement. The operators seat is designated by the numeral 12, the foot pedals 14 being suitably located so as to be conveniently reached by the operator, or the one propelling the boat, said foot pedals being rotatably mounted on a bearing 15 of suitable design and dimensions and having rigidly attached thereto a gear or sprocket 16,

" said sprocket having on its periphery a chain 17 extended over a gear or sprocket 18.

The gear or sprocket 18 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 19, journaled in suitable bearings in. the side walls of the boat and extending a distance t-herebeyond for supporting the paddles 20, one on each side. It will thus be seen that operating the foot pedals 14 will actuate shaft 1.9 and paddles 20 for propelling the boat through the water.

The steering is accomplished by the operator, who faces the direction in which the boat is being propelled, by swinging or orienting the seat 12 which is provided with a rack 21 to engage with and operate a gear 22, rigidly mounted on a vertical shaft 23 suitably journaled. The shaft 23 has keyed thereto at its lower extremity a bevel gear 24 meshing with a bevel gear 25 rigidly attached to a shaft 26 suitably journaled. Rigidly attached at its other extremity is a bevel gear 27 meshing with a bevel gear 28 keyed to the vertical shaft 29 to the upper end of which is attached the rudder 30.

The rudder has atlixed thereto springs 31 and 32 in such a manner as to hold said rudder in a neutral or straight ahead position. It will be noted then that the construction as described is such as will permit the boat being steered from the operators seat.

The stabilizer and bumper device 33 may I be operated at will by the one propelling the boat by means of lever 34. In Figure 2 6f the drawing I have shown the stabilizer in inoperative position, it being held in said position by means of the spring 35. lVhen the lever 34 is pushed forward, the stabilizer is thrown forwardly through the instrumentality of rod 36 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

The stabilizer 33 is operable also from the operators seat through an auxiliary pull rod shown in detail in Fig. 5. Seat 12 is connected to a bell-shaped piece 37 through a short bar around which is coiled the spring 38, which tends to keep the seat in raised position. When in this position the rear end of pull rod 40 will engage with the larger portion 41 of the bell-shaped piece 37, which acts as a cam, to pull the rod rearwardly, the forward end of rod 40 engaging a fixed stop 42 on rod 36 to pull. the latter rearwardly and thus actuate the stabilizer. It will be noticed that by means of this construction, the stabilizer becomes operative the instant the operator rises from his seat, thus preventing the boat from capsizing.

It is therefore obvious that I have produced a boat, which may be readily operated by use of the feet, that the operator may at all times see the direction in which the boat is going, and that by means of a stabilizer and collision device I have produced a boat safe for people not familiar with the handling of boats of the conventional design.

lilaving thus described my invention, What it claim as new and desire to protect by Lettors Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. in a boat of the class described, in combination, a stabilizer mounted at the forward part of the boat and arranged to swing in a vertical direction, a pull-rod attached to said stabilizer, and means controlled by the seat for actuating the pull-rod to throw the stabilizer to operative position When the seat is vacated.

2. ln a boat of the class described, in combination, a stabilizer mounted at the torward part of the boat and arranged to swing in a vertical direction, a pull-rod attached to said stabilizer, a rigid support and'a seat having a bell-shaped casting protruding underneath th-ere'lrom, a spring mounted between the support and the seat for urging the seat and bell-shaped casting to raised position when -1u1occupied, and means actuated by the enlarged portion of the bell-shaped casting for operating the pull-rod to throw the stabilizer to operative position.

. 3. in a boat of the class described, a stabilizer mounted at the bow and having a concavity arranged to lit the bow when in inoperative position, and means manually controlled for tl'irowing the stabilizer to operative or vertical position.

A boat comprising a device consisting of a rack rigidly lined to said operator s seat, a gear rigidly mounted on'a shaft, said gear being in mesh with saidrack, said shaft having conveniently placed at or near its extremity a gear or". the bevel type, said shaft being mounted in hearings or j'ournaled so as to turn freely, said bevel gear meshing with another bevel gear mounted on a shalt, said shaft having another bevel gear mounted its extremity, said shaft being mounted in bearings or jonrnaled so as to turn freely said bevel year being in mesh iv'th another bevel gear rigidly mounted on a shaft, said shalt being mounted in hearings or journaled so as to turn freely and having attached thereto a rudder of suitable shape and size so that the boat may be controlled or steered by means of the here explained device.

In testimony whereof I have dll'lIiGCl my signature.

oannnro oanno. 

